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Awwwh, so pretty I especially love the first one

Did you say you've been waiting 3 weeks? When I've ordered from SewandSo before, I found their delivery service impeccable and amazingly quick. From the sounds of things on here aswell, others have found their delivery fast. I hope nothing's happened to your order

Yes, I know, I have ordered from them before, and it got here, to Hungary in 3-4 days. But this was was despatched for more then 2 weeks now (not exactly 3 yet). I contacted them, they say normally it is 2 weeks, and can be longer. So I just wait. And

SOOOO frustrating!

Beautiful!!!!!

Here is another finish, one I've been working on for a while, which will be for a young friend's first baby. The photo isn't great (if I used the camera more, I might eventually get the hang of it!), but I think the design shows up ok (those are dove's eyes in the cut areas btw). One thing: I pledge right now that I will NEVER AGAIN use stranded floss to work satin stitch, no matter WHAT the designer says.

that is so pretty

Awwwh thats so lovely and pretty Serinde I love the colours

Lovely! What a good idea, too, to have hardanger in a baby's room. I don't see any problem with the stranded cotton - was it difficult to stitch with?

Wow! That is sooo pretty and delicate looking Serinde and all the little shiny bits ... lovely!

It's a beauiful design, such delicate colours; I think I see what you mean about the stranded cotton -- coverage is not quite so full as with perle, is that it?

No, it isn't, Mabel. Further, it's much more of an effort to get the floss to behave and lie properly, even with railroading. Anyway, perle threads have that lovely sheen, which reflects the light in lots of interesting ways.
On a more positive note, the beads were much easier to do than I thought they might be.

Oh so pretty, Serinde!

The Christmas cards are so effective, just the right amount of glitter!

And the piece for the new baby is just perfect! I love the delicate colours.
Well done indeed for pursuing a difficult project.

WOW! What stunning work, Serinde! I'm well impressed, they're beautiful. I've never tried hardanger before, only seen a few pictures and thought "I'd never be able to do that". I would love to give it a try though, if I ever get any free time before I'm 60!

I'm a hardanger evangelist! It looks much more difficult than it is. Truly! It's the simplest of all the pulled work types of embroidery.

When I get a minute, I'll do a review of the best hardanger books for beginners. It might just tempt you.

It's the cutting that scares me stiff... I tried it once but I either had bits of fabric sticking out, or I cut into the threads

hahaha I've done that, too! The little bits of fabric that stick out resolve themselves back into the fabric over time. As for cutting the wrong thread: reweave with another strand from the fabric (it wants to fray anyway, doesn't it?!?) or simply wrap the bars with the three remaining strands instead of four... (Who's gonna notice?)

The only impossible-to-retrieve situation is where you have miscounted kloster blocks and have begun to cut before you realise that the blocks don't actually line up... never done that. Yet.

I've found some reasonably simple looking online lessons at http://www.needlework-tips-and-techniqu ... ework.html so I thought I might give it a try when I have some time. The instructions are fairly easy to understand even to a hardanger newbie and it gives free downloadable charts for each lesson, which are in colour to help even more. Anyone else who is thinking of trying this might want to have a look.

One of the lessons shows you how to make a gorgeous bookmark. If I can learn how to do this reasonably well I might make one for my Mum's birthday in February - she reads a lot.

Yes, that's a good online site to show simple hardanger and instructions are clear, too. (Bookmark is good, isn't it!)
For more (free) forum fun, go to the members section at http://www.newstitches.co.uk/default.aspx" target="_blank" target="_blank and click on forum. In all that there is a fun set of hardanger tutorials. And you might recognise a few folk, too...

Hardanger freebies are to be found all over the place, but some of the best are at http://www.nordicneedle.com" target="_blank" target="_blank.

Great work.

My first hardanger attempt.....no cut hardanger to get the feel of it.

Serinde,

I love ur hardanger and I am still learning how to stitch them..... I am interested in the lovely specialty stitches ..... I am new to them.

socialsue